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Short Story help...
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:17 am
by Snoopy
I have an assignment for English which I have to write a short story. Let me see... I'm hardly creative and I generally do horribly at stories. Especially when they're based on poetry.
Here's how it is. I have to find a poem about my topic (either Fire, or War). The story has to follow the "short story structure" being
P1. Introduce either setting or character
P2. Introduce either setting or character (opposite to Paragraph 1)
P3. Build tension
P4. Continue tension
P5. Climax
P6. Twist
My plans are; for fire, I plan on personifying the fire to be a woman. Or for War something along the lines of a group of guys in a Pub or Bar. Using words like "taking shots" with double meanings, also getting "legless". So basically portraying the war-scene as a pub.
Hard to explain. What I ask of you is, could you think of anything better to do?

thanks in advance.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:30 am
by Questmaster
You did not study your lessons. you did not listen to the lectures of the teacher. You did not read your books. and you want others to do your work for you?
Short stories are easy. tell any story that relat to your life, and is related to your topic, so that shouldn't be a problem - errr except that you did not study your lessons.
Poems do not have any xact formula. But they follow certain structures --- but of course, since you did not study your lessons, you wouldn't know.
Now you want us to give you something, so that you will be given a rating that will be high -or show that you studied your lessons?
Mates, perhaps he's gonna ask for a free PLVL next..... then a free SOSUN afterwards...
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:38 am
by Snoopy
Questmaster wrote:You did not study your lessons. you did not listen to the lectures of the teacher. You did not read your books. and you want others to do your work for you?
Short stories are easy. tell any story that relat to your life, and is related to your topic, so that shouldn't be a problem - errr except that you did not study your lessons.
Poems do not have any xact formula. But they follow certain structures --- but of course, since you did not study your lessons, you wouldn't know.
Now you want us to give you something, so that you will be given a rating that will be high -or show that you studied your lessons?
Mates, perhaps he's gonna ask for a free PLVL next..... then a free SOSUN afterwards...
I do all my work in the class. You're an absolute idiot. Just because you're told the exact structure of a story doesn't mean you're going to be able to write one. I already said,
I'm not creative. That generally means, when it comes to writing stories, I would be horrible at it.
All I asked for was a better topic to write about. Not for someone to write it for me. If I wanted someone to do it for me, I would pay them. That ISN'T the case.
Now do me a favor, and stick your head back in that hole as this is only the second time I've ever asked for slight help on school work.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 1:00 am
by Swindler
Snoopy wrote:Questmaster wrote:You did not study your lessons. you did not listen to the lectures of the teacher. You did not read your books. and you want others to do your work for you?
Short stories are easy. tell any story that relat to your life, and is related to your topic, so that shouldn't be a problem - errr except that you did not study your lessons.
Poems do not have any xact formula. But they follow certain structures --- but of course, since you did not study your lessons, you wouldn't know.
Now you want us to give you something, so that you will be given a rating that will be high -or show that you studied your lessons?
Mates, perhaps he's gonna ask for a free PLVL next..... then a free SOSUN afterwards...
I do all my work in the class. You're an absolute idiot. Just because you're told the exact structure of a story doesn't mean you're going to be able to write one. I already said,
I'm not creative. That generally means, when it comes to writing stories, I would be horrible at it.
All I asked for was a better topic to write about. Not for someone to write it for me. If I wanted someone to do it for me, I would pay them. That ISN'T the case.
Now do me a favor, and stick your head back in that hole as this is only the second time I've ever asked for slight help on school work.
Get him!
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:18 am
by dom
The scene is an African village where the local population is being exterminated by a different ethnic group. The way you tell the story is through an analogy. The analogy = the greek gods of war and fire having sex. I believe that would be Hestia and Ares. And for a twist at the end, they have a kid named Chaos.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:34 am
by devilti
dom wrote:The scene is an African village where the local population is being exterminated by a different ethnic group. The way you tell the story is through an analogy. The analogy = the greek gods of war and fire having sex. I believe that would be Hestia and Ares. And for a twist at the end, they have a kid named Chaos.
in the end you can also quote Heart of Darkness, if you ahve read it by Joseph Konrad. the context of the book is in africa and you can discuss the psychological ideas behind war, fire and darkness through you simple short story.
like end your story with a line realting to ehart of darkness.
believe me your teacher will dig that. all literature teachers love allusions to these classic texts.
end with like the village seemed to lead to the heart of an immense darkness, or streams, infernal streams of darkness.
then instead of "the Horror! the Horror!" you can say "The Chaos, The chaos".
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:02 am
by rek
Questmaster wrote:You did not study your lessons. you did not listen to the lectures of the teacher. You did not read your books. and you want others to do your work for you?
Short stories are easy. tell any story that relat to your life, and is related to your topic, so that shouldn't be a problem - errr except that you did not study your lessons.
Poems do not have any xact formula. But they follow certain structures --- but of course, since you did not study your lessons, you wouldn't know.
Now you want us to give you something, so that you will be given a rating that will be high -or show that you studied your lessons?
Mates, perhaps he's gonna ask for a free PLVL next..... then a free SOSUN afterwards...
Take a seat over there ---------------------->
and stay there
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:02 am
by Questmaster
Snoopy wrote:
I do all my work in the class. You're an absolute idiot. Just because you're told the exact structure of a story doesn't mean you're going to be able to write one. I already said, I'm not creative. That generally means, when it comes to writing stories, I would be horrible at it.
All I asked for was a better topic to write about. Not for someone to write it for me. If I wanted someone to do it for me, I would pay them. That ISN'T the case.
Now do me a favor, and stick your head back in that hole as this is only the second time I've ever asked for slight help on school work.
Hooo Boy, you admitted being not creative. Would that translate into = idiot? Don't overstate it by concluding someone is an idiot, just because he calls you out with the truth.SRO itself has a lot of stories, if you care to read the descriptions of the characters when you create one, or read the quests as they are told by the NPCs (or check the Quests dictionary). So add this to exact adjective to describe yourself: unresourceful.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:28 pm
by rek
Questmaster wrote:Snoopy wrote:
I do all my work in the class. You're an absolute idiot. Just because you're told the exact structure of a story doesn't mean you're going to be able to write one. I already said, I'm not creative. That generally means, when it comes to writing stories, I would be horrible at it.
All I asked for was a better topic to write about. Not for someone to write it for me. If I wanted someone to do it for me, I would pay them. That ISN'T the case.
Now do me a favor, and stick your head back in that hole as this is only the second time I've ever asked for slight help on school work.
Hooo Boy,
you admitted being not creative. Would that translate into = idiot? Don't overstate it by concluding someone is an idiot, just because he calls you out with the truth.SRO itself has a lot of stories, if you care to read the descriptions of the characters when you create one, or read the quests as they are told by the NPCs (or check the Quests dictionary). So add this to exact adjective to describe yourself: unresourceful.
What the hell are you arguing with him about? He asked for some help and you accuse him of not doing his school work. Seriously, you sound stupid, you dont know him enough to make assumptions like that. Not being creative doesnt really have anything to do with someone's knowledge about things, not being creative = not being creative.
Why dont u stop and listen to yourself. You are the first one to flame Snoopy, so why dont u listen to your own advice and not assume someone is an idiot just by reading one post of theirs.
Read the whole thread then make stupid comments. He wasnt asking anyone to do his work, he just wanted some ideas on what to write about. I want to know where u picked up the notion of asking for help = 100% hopeless at everything.
He already has a few ideas on what to write about so i dont think;
So add this to exact adjective to describe yourself: unresourceful.
is a very true statement. I think he is being resourceful asking a forum, where lots of different people with a wide range of different opinions gather. Sentence doesnt make sense as well.
And.. lol@your SRO references.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:00 pm
by Kirkaldi
You write the paragraphs yourself, I'm just gonna write some easy stuff.

You name them too. I didn't put in any dialogue. You can go ahead if you want too.
P1. Introduce either setting or character: There was a thief who was violent and bloody but he had some good in him.. He wanted to rob the Bank of America. He couldn't do this on his own though. *Insert name here* lived in a poor family when he was young. His dad was a thief too but he was killed once when a robbery was in action.
P2. Introduce either setting or character (opposite to Paragraph 1): *Insert name here* lived in a big city, New York City. All the rich people lived there. He knew that was where he was going to steal and have glory.
P3. Build tension: Calls his friends that are also thieves.
P4. Continue tension: His friends come over and they make a plan.
P5. Climax: Robbery in action. Successful or Fail. You decide.
P6. Twist: Goes to the cops or they just go home with there money and then...........
Hope this helped.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:29 pm
by Snoopy
Thanks everyone except Questmaster for your help.
@Questmaster: ... I can write a paper which doesn't require me to be creative and get an A. I write a short story which does require me to be creative and I usually get about a C+ or B.
Does that mean I'm an idiot? No, that means writing a short story isn't my forte.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:32 pm
by inky
Your glory days will soon be over, good sir. Sooner or later you would have to learn how to combine creativity with fact-based essay writing.

Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:39 pm
by Squirt
P1.Write of a Chef name *Insert name* who lives in a big city. He has a very successful 5* restaurant.
P2. The Chef lives in the rich side of town, describe Hollywood or any major city.
P3.The chef had gotten a new health inspector since the old one has a flew, the chef has problems in the kitchen so he has to figure something out.
P4 During the inspection the damn rats appeared out of the wholes and a few roaches managed to walk on the floor. The chef is in danger of getting closed down.
P5. The chef kills the Inspector at night before he can send in the report the next day.
P6. The inspector was a man who had escaped from a mental asylum and pretended to be an inspector, The real inspector ( The one that got sick) told the Chef that he got lucky that the man didn't kill him.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:41 pm
by Snoopy
inky wrote:Your glory days will soon be over, good sir. Sooner or later you would have to learn how to combine creativity with fact-based essay writing.

I'm trying

I used to be extremely creative and imaginative when I was younger. Now... bleh it all went by the wayside.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:48 am
by Questmaster
ROTFL!
Now that takes care of P1, P2, P3, and P4.
A MOD Steps in? OKAY OKAY OKAY......................
I GIVE IN. I AM SORRY. I SIMPLY THOUGHT I SAW ANOTHER STUDENT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DO HIS JOB FOR HIM. I STAND CORRECTED, - IS THAT ENOUGH?
That takes care for P5.
Now P6 is coming, expect it.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:21 pm
by TheDarkness
wow man.. i was bout to make a topic about this same thing! i have a short story assignment to due wednesday..
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:14 am
by Questmaster
I guess that takes care of P6.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:37 am
by Grimjaw
Questmaster wrote:I guess that takes care of P6.
lol. You make the Dead Poets Society weep tears of blistering agony.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:10 am
by Questmaster
Depends. At least one can then write a story with a new setting. I wrote an instance like this way back in 1996(but with a BBS), and instead of writing about warriors and monsters and stuff, I wrote about the BBS thread. It was unexpected, pretty much weird for a story, but I was the only one who wrote it.
However, on Snoopy's point of view, I am just being an a-hole. I doubt if he even gets the point.
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:07 am
by Grimjaw
Questmaster wrote:Depends. At least one can then write a story with a new setting. I wrote an instance like this way back in 1996(but with a BBS), and instead of writing about warriors and monsters and stuff, I wrote about the BBS thread. It was unexpected, pretty much weird for a story, but I was the only one who wrote it.
However, on Snoopy's point of view, I am just being an a-hole. I doubt if he even gets the point.
Pretty unorthodox approach to be honest, if you had brought it less confrontational you might have had got better receptions. And just because it's "unique for you" doesn't make it accessible for others. Snoopy said he wasn't creative, so your trying to pull water out of a empty well.
But how are you planning on getting your point across if you lack the necessary inspiring "vigor" in your posts? People first reaction to such a post isn't that inviting or sense tingling if you catch my feathered pen. Don't tell me you expect him to see the broader point of view here because if you are then I just have to Laugh my ass off. Not because of Snoopy but about you for actually thinking such an approach will work..
Re: Short Story help...
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:30 am
by Questmaster
Yup. You're right. You got pretty much of a good point. I'll try a better approach if a chance comes around again ( maybe it will - I never much expected to do this here).